Transport Investment and Economic Development

Transport Investment and Economic Development

Excerpt

The idea for this book arose from our common concern over the lack of research and understanding of the links between transport investment and economic development. It seems a long way from those early discussions at the Tinbergen Institute in 1994 to this completed text. We now understand why no other author(s) has really tried to tackle the complexity of these links. We would like to thank the staff and our colleagues at the Tinbergen Institute in Amsterdam for their continuous support and understanding in accommodating us at Kaisergracht, in particular Elfie Bonke and Marian Duppon, but also many others. Prof. Peter Nijkamp (Department of Economics, The Free University of Amsterdam), who managed to lure both of us to the Tinbergen at the same time as VSB Visiting Professors (1994-7), facilitated the whole enterprise. This opportunity to work together more than anything provided the necessary space, time and support to really initiate the long discussions and debates, now reflected in the book. Jody Kersten from the Free University was also instrumental in getting us to work together by organizing the local arrangements in Amsterdam.

Several of our academic colleagues helped with particular chapters: Prof. Robert (Buzz) Paaswell (Director, University Transportation Research Center, The City College, New York) on the Buffalo Case Study (Chapter 10); Alan McLellan (University College London) on the Economic Development Effects of Airports (Chapter 11); Prof. José Hulguin-Veras (University Transportation Research Center, the City College, New York), on the Benefit Cost Analysis (Chapter 7); Prof. Jan Brueckner, (Department of Economics, University of Illinois) on the microeconomic modelling (Chapter 8). Many others have commented on different chapters, or on particular sections of the book that have been present at conferences and workshops and have at various stages encouraged us to continue with the writing of the book. Our thanks are warmly extended to all these colleagues.